Inexplicably, The New York Times ran a fine expose of the Florida Family Association, which successfully petitioned Lowes Corporation to pull its commercials from the TV Show ‘All-American Muslim’ in its Religion section near the end of its ‘A’ section.

David Caton is the founder and only member of the co-called Florida Family Association, a split-off from the American Family Association. Anti-Muslim bigotry is so intense in America today that one man with an email list scared Lowe’s Home Improvement into dropping sponsorship of the Learning Channel’s ‘All-American Muslim’ – a reality show depicting Muslims as regular Americans dealing with all the problems in life in the same way most of us do.

This is unbelievable. First Florida gives us the pastor who announced to the world that he will burn a copy of the Koran. Now we have one guy on his own campaign to cancel the one show on American TV that seeks to portray an honest portrait of Muslim Americans.

Why? Because there are no terrorists in the show! Caton ‘reasons’ that the show contains a corrupting, hidden agenda to make Islam acceptable in the US. I guess once it is accepted as part of religious life in the US, the ‘hidden agenda’ will be released by ginnies inside a magic bottle.

I didn’t know it was so easy to fool American corporate executives. Didn’t Lowe’s advertising people do a tiny bit of research? Where did their spokeswoman get the idea that ‘All-American Muslim’ is a ‘controversial show’? I’ve never seen it but the only things I’ve seen written about it is that it’s boring. The real live of Muslims are too boring for reality TV!

I don’t believe in one-person, moral boycotts. But I know I’d never shop in a Lowe’s again. Crass consumerism aside, this company is run by social idiots.

from ‘All American Muslim’ because the Florida Family Association says it has a hidden agenda and undermines American values should grow into a tidal wave.

I have a few questions:

1. What did Lowe’s think the Florida Family Association would do if it didn’t pull its support for the show? Did they think a boycott by a fringe group would hurt them more than insulting 10 million Arab-Americans?

2. Why did Lowe’s buy the ads in the first place? Did they think they could sneak under the noses of anti-Muslim bigots? Or were they just clueless?

3. If Lowe’s pulled ads from ‘All American Muslim’, did it pull them from ‘Al American Black Family’ a/k/a the Cosby Show when it became the first TV sitcom to present a stable, educated and successful (read: non-threatening) black middle class family as a counter-force to the crude stereotypes of that period? After all, many corporations wouldn’t touch that show until it showed its demographic marketing worth.

4. Jon Stewart asks:

“The problem with the show is the absence of radicals. The problem is the televising of Muslims without the terrorist element. You’re angry about that? … Why would you be upset to learn that there are non-Jihadi Muslims?”

5. Eddie Haskell was more dangerous to American family values than anyone on ‘All American Muslim.’

6. In five years, Muslim Americans will become the new niche marketing group, following blacks, women and Latinos into marketing gold. Then Lowe’s execs will fire some body for being late to get into this new market.

It seems Graham announced he does not want to see the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau to come into existence. It’s too late. It’s already in existence by an act of Congress. Republicans are blocking the President from appointing a head of the Bureau.

Ta-Nehisi Coates about the persistence into this moment’s news of the past centuries’ racial traumas and racist institutions. Mike Lofgren, who recently retired from a career as a Republican staffer in the Senate, and whom I have , by coincidence makes a directly parallel point about the origins of the filibuster and the of “” thinking by Republican members of the Senate.

Gingrich had a winning debate on Saturday night. Calm, cool and collected, he blithely told an audience of millions that character is an important issue, he’s made mistakes but now he’s a ’68 year old grandfather’ and voters will have to choose.

A triumph of form over substance. A triumph of contrasts! He is NOT HERMAN CAIN. Cain just proved he has no character. He hid a years-long affair, multiple sexual harassment accusations and displayed what seems like a psychological problem admitting anything.

Gingrich, on the other hand, doesn’t deny any of his blemishes. Yes, he cheated. Yes, he asked for a divorce from his wife while she was recovering from cancer. Yes, he took money from Fannie Mae – as a ‘businessman’ no less!

Gingrich has pulled an amazing ‘bait and switch’ off of Cain. Gingrich has the character than Cain doesn’t. He is open with his flaws and the sins for which he’s sought redemption.

Mr. Gingrich’s skill in facing criticisms head-on — sometimes fiercely rebutting them, sometimes apologizing for past errors in judgment — has only swelled his support. And his strong debate appearance in Iowa on Saturday, in which he faced a barrage of attacks, showed his resiliency.

“He’s willing to stand up and take the heat,” said Cheryl Semarad, who visited Mr. Gingrich’s headquarters in suburban Des Moines on the afternoon of the debate. –

I’m surprised this issue hasn’t raised more red flags with unions. Maybe I just missed them.

But if Newt had his way and children were allowed to work ’4 or 5 hours’/day, adult workers would soon lose their jobs to sub-minimum-wage kids. The low-cost competition for menial work would drive down wages and benefits for those still employed.

The last thing we need is a hair-brained scheme that puts kids to work and replace adults. Many janitors (and other low-wage occupations) are represented by SEIU and other unions. Where are they?